Mid Sussex

Mid Sussex's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in marriage.

The population reached nearly 140,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Mid Sussex increased by 9.8%, from about 127,000 to 140,000.

The addition of just over 12,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Mid Sussex was home to, on average, 3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was similar to the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Mid Sussex

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Mid Sussex increased by two years, from 40 to 42 years.

This growing rural area had a higher average age than the South East and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 4,800 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 12% of people in Mid Sussex are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Mid Sussex by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Mid Sussex

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Mid Sussex, but at a slower rate than in nearby Brighton and Hove.

In Mid Sussex, the proportion of single people increased from 25% in 2001 to 28% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in Brighton and Hove increased from 43% to 50%.

Across the South East, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 29% to 32%.

The proportion of married people in Mid Sussex fell from 58% to 54%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 9.6% to 11%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Mid Sussex residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 5.9% to 3.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (86%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 74% in 2001. The percentage of Mid Sussex residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20% to 11%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Mid Sussex decreased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Mid Sussex, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Mid Sussex working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Mid Sussex decreased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Mid Sussex, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Mid Sussex

The number of people in Mid Sussex from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 120,000 in 2001 to just over 130,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 97% to 95%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Mid Sussex from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 1,500 in 2001 to about 3,800 in 2011 (from 1.2% to 2.7%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just over 1,100 to just under 2,000 (from 0.9% to 1.4%).

About 790 people (0.3%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 340 in 2001 (0.6%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Mid Sussex decreased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Mid Sussex by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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